Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-02-18

Think so. | don't think at all. Why
thers''-as she righted herself after roll
''if the ship had really rolled to the degree
that thing pointed to then she would never
have rolled again, that's all. But it is just
like these merchant shippers, they always
are so confoundedly careless"
Just then the dinner-beIl rung, and l was
not sorry, for it is dreadful thing to have
to listen TO an officer of the royal navy when
he gets on to that subject. | only know one
worse thing, and that is to hear merchant
skipper express his candid opinion of officers
Of the royal navy.
Captain Good and | went down to dinner
together, and there we found Sir Henry Cur
It's already seated. He and Captain Good
sat together, and opposite them. The cap
tain and soon got into talk about shooting
and what not; lie asking me many questions,
and answering as well as | could. Present.
ly he got on to elephants.
"Ah, SIR" called out somebody who was
sitting near me, you've got the right man
for that; Hunter Quatermain should be able
to tell you about elephants il anybody can"
Sir Henry, who had been sitting quite
quiet listening to our talk, started viSibly.
excuse me. sir" he said, leaning forward
across the table, and speaking in a low, deep
voice, very suitable voice it seemed to me,
sir. but is your name Allen QHatermainy'
] said it was.
The big man made no further remark, but
| heard him mutter fortunate" into his
beard.
Presently dinner came Ia an end, and as
we were leaving the saloon Sir Henry came
up and asked me il | would come into his
cabin and smoke a pipe. l accepted, and he
led the way to the Dunkeld cabin, and
very good cabin it was. 1t had been two
cabins, but when Sir Garnet or one of those
big swells went down the coast i'll the Dun
keld, they had knocked away the partition
and never put it up again. There was sofa
In the cabin ana little table in front Of it.
Sir Henry sent the steward for n bottle OF
whisky, and the three Of us sat down and lit
our pipes.
"Mr. Quatermain," said Sir Henry Curtis,
when the steward had brought the whisky,
and lit the lamp, 'the year before last about
this time you were, | believe, at place
called Bamangwato to the north of the
Transyaal."
II was" answered rather surprised that
this gentleman should be so well acquainted
with my movements which We're not, so far
as | was aware, considered OF general ill.,
tereSt
~ on were trading there, were you nOtP'
put in Captain Good, in his quick way.
Il was. | took up wagon-oad of goods,
and made camp outside the settlement
and stopped until had sold them"
Sir Henry was sitting opposite to me in a
Madeira chair. his arms leaning on the table.
He now looked up, fixing his large gray eyes
f,,II
iety in them / thought.
did you happen TO meet man called
Neville there"'
"Oh yes; he outspauned alongside OF me
for a fortnight to rest his oxen before going
on to the interior. had letter from law
yer a few months back asking me If knew
what had become of him, which | answered
TO the best of my ability at the time"
Yes" said Sir Henry, "your letter was
forwarded to me. You said in it that the
gentleman called Nevelle left Bamangwato
in the beginning of May in wagon with q
driver, voorlooper, and kaiir hunter
called JIM announcing his intention of
trekking if possible as far as hyatt, the ex-
IRENE trading post in the Matabele country,
where he would sell his wagon, for six
months afterward you saw the wagon in the
ppSotoHivu VI IL L biNut utcc iidNtit VIM WIN
you that he had bought it at hyatt from a
white man whose name he had forgotten,
and that the white man with n native serv-
ant had started off for the interior on
shooting trip, he believed"
Eyes"
Then came pause.
"Mr. Quatermain?" said Sir Henry, sud
denly, Il suppose you know or can guess
nntbiuu nf IN pf If
Neyille's journey to the northward, or as to
what point that journey was directedv'
II heard something" l answered, and
stopped The subject was one | didn't care
to discuss.
Sir Henry and Captain Good looked at
each other, and Captain Good nodded.
MIR. Quatermain," said the former II
am going to tell you story and ask your
advice, and perhaps your assistance. The
agent who forwarded me your letter told me
that might implicitly rely upon it, as you
werc," he said, well known and universal
ly respected in Natal, and especially noted
for your discretion"
| bowed and drank some whisky and wa
ter TO hide my confusion, for | am modest
man-and Sir Henry went on,
Mr.. Neville was my brother"
WI, chhN cbt'i tiiiF, III l. lloW hiiSN
who Sir Henry had reminded me of when
first saw hun. His brother was a much
smaller man and had a dark beard, but now
1 Thought OF it, he possessed eyes of the
same shade of gray and with the same keen
look IN them, and the features, too, were not
unlike.
"lle was" went on Sir Henry, my only
and younger brother, and till five years ago
1 al a ,,Af A,
away from each other. But Just about five
years ago misfortune befell us, as some
times does happen in families. We had
quarreled bitterly, and | behaved very I'M
justly to my brother in my anger" Here
Captain Good nodded his head vigorously to
himself. The ship gave big roll just then,
SO that the looking glass, which was fixed
opposite us to starboard, was for a moment
nearly over our heads, and as | was sitting
with my hands in my pockets and staring
upward, could see him nodding like any
thing.
AS dare say you know" went on Sir
Henry, IF man dies intestate, and has no
property but land, real property 1t is called
In England it all deScends to his eldest son.
l. So happened that just at the time when
we quarreled our father died interstate He
late The result was that my brother, who
had not been brought up to any profession,
was left without a penny. OF course it
would have been my duty to provide for him,
but at the time the quarrel between us was
SO bitter that did MOTTO my shame | say
it (snd he sighed deeplyl-"ofler 10 do any
thing. 1t was not that | grudged him any,
thing, nut waited for him to make adyan-
ces, and he made none. l am sorry to trou-
bic you with all this, Mr.. Quatermain, but
must make things clear. eh, Good?'
Quite so, quite So" said the Captain.
MIR Qaatermain will, l am sure, keep this
history 10 himself
''Of course" said 1, "for rather pride
myself on my discretion"
We'll" went on Sir Henry, my brother
had a few hundred pounds to his account at
the time, ana without saying anything to me
he drew out this paltry sum. and, having
adopted the name of Neville, started off for
South Africa in the wild hope of making a
fortune. This | heard afterward Some
three years passed, and l heard nothing of
my brother though | wrote several times
Doubtless the letters never reached him. But
Is time went on l grew more ard more
troubled about him. found out. Mr. Qua
termain. that blood is thicker than water"
That's true" said /, thinking of my boy
Harry.
Il found out Mr. Quatermain, that
would have given half my fortune to know
that my brother George, the only relation l
have, was safe and we'll, and that | should
see him again"